The We Choose Respect ParentCast Starring Greg Friedman with Expert Guest Sharon Bolt & Musical Guest Hannah Belle
Early in my career on stage one of the educators who booked my motivational school assembly program said “I can’t believe how kind and respectful you treated all of the kids you brought up on stage, thank you!”
“Why would that surprise you?” I asked.
“Because most performers bring kids on stage and make them the butt of a joke, or even worse turn them into a prop.”
I was shocked, I thought “she just must have had a presenter in who was having a bad day.” Since that time I have dozens and dozens of educators and librarians and special event coordinators say that very same thing, “thank you for being so respectful to our children.”
Click here to find out about my totally interactive school assembly program
So I guess I should not have been surprised when I opened an email just moments ago and read
“I talked with Greg about his interview with you–he really enjoyed his time with you, and felt heard and treated with kindness by you–so much gratitude from both of us.
That is the opening line from an email I just received from Cindy Arnold, producer of Greg Friedman’s Inner Journey Radio Show on KX 93.5, and today’s featured guest on the We Choose Respect ParentCast. I imagine the reason she expressed gratitude about my treating him with kindness and respect is because it may not happen that often.
Greg is a fascinating guest. His bio page describes him as “a modern version of that which has existed in every culture, a spiritual guide and mentor. He builds bridges and helps clear paths, in part, by taking the ancient wisdom of indigenous cultures and making it applicable to us in our everyday lives.”
As you will hear Greg say a lot of people feel that these subjects are kind of out there, or to use his words “woo, woo”. And he is right, at first glance his outlook on life is different. It is by no means crazy, or outrageous. It should not be instantly assigned to the trash bin of ideas. Unfortunately I imagine that is exactly how some, perhaps most, people react initially.
If you take a minute to really listen to Greg’s message you will see he is suggesting that everyone shed their clothes and go live in the rain forest. What Greg is suggesting is that we take the time to really get to know who we are, what we really need. More pertinent to this show, Greg is suggesting that we take the time to really get to know our kids, to see them as the unique, wonderful, complex and beautiful being that they are. To accept them for who they are, to help them accept themselves for who they are, to help them identify what is really important in their live and to make decisions based on what is best for their individual, unique, beautiful and complex selves. That is not “woo – woo” or out there or crazy at all. It is “that which almost all our ParentCast guests have suggested.” Greg just wraps it in a different package.
What other words of wisdom have we missed because we have closed our ears and minds to someone who dresses differently, or who speaks with an accent? How many friendships have we lost out on because we turn our backs to someone who worships in a different way?
I truly believe one of the greatest lessons we can teach our children is help them understand that every person is unique, that every person deserves to be respected, and heard, and considered. And the best way to teach that is to live it.
I know our favorite dog trainer, and today’s guest expert agrees. One of the things that makes her such a great guest expert is that in addition to teaching us how to train our pets to behave in certain ways she encourages us to look at our dog’s individual personality and discover why our furry friend may be behaving badly in the first place.
Check out Sharon’s web site, and be sure to download her free dog training report
We close the show with a visit from the very talented Hannah Belle a true country girl hailing from Red Lick, MS where she grew up learning how to live the country way. Singing since she was three, country music came naturally to her, having a love and respect for the traditional country sound, but also embracing the modern sounds of country music today. Her dad has always played music and Hannah says her mom is her biggest fan. She writes a lot of her songs with her sister, Robin, so her music career has become a family business. Hannah’s dad is a Baptist minister and she has always been involved in church activities, so God and country flows naturally through most of her music.
Listen to all of Hannah’s music at her web site
